The 50 must-see moments in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games — mark them in your diary today!
WORRIED you might miss the Rio Olympic moments we’ll be talking about for years? Fear not, Channel 7’s Bruce McAvaney is here to mark your card ...
Australia’s Olympic history is rich.
It is one of only two countries, along with Greece, to be represented at all 27 summer Olympic Games, and one of six to have hosted more than one; both of them highly successful.
We have enjoyed a couple of long-running golden ages. The first began in London in 1948 and continued to 1972 in Munich, peaking at home in Melbourne in ‘56.
Most recently, the platform was built with seven gold medals in Barcelona 24 years ago, boosted to nine gold in Atlanta four years later, and then soaring to 16 by the Sydney millennium Olympic Games to a record 17 gold in Athens.
Beijing held firm. In London we teetered. So history suggests we’re in decline. But the forecast is for a bounce back.
Six of our eight London gold medallists are returning in one form or another and the predictions are wide ranging: anything from 10 to 18 gold medals, and from 10th to fifth place overall.
The issues facing these Olympic Games in Rio are broad and certainly complicated: security, both internally and externally; the political crisis at the highest level; a depressed economy which has resulted in budget cuts affecting venues and transportation.
The Zika virus, which has world health authorities on high alert, has led to the withdrawal of some prominent athletes. Gender issues in athletics, in particular the Women’s 800 metres, are escalating. And then there is the widespread doping crisis that has dominated so much discussion and, in particular, the banning of the Russian track and field team.
Experience tells us that host cities and their organising committees rise to the occasion. Rio is the capital of the Carnival. Their staging of football’s World Cup just two years ago was a success. The city surrounds include breathtaking images such as Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf Mountain and one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World: Christ the Redeemer statue soaring above the metropolis.
Rio provides a handful of mouth-watering possibilities.
Anchoring Seven’s coverage will be Sport Olympic Games Commentator Bruce McAvaney.
Together with senior Daily and Sunday Telegraph sports journalist David Riccio, who will cover his third Olympic Games in Rio, they list the 50 things you can’t afford to miss at the Rio Games.
Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Channel 7, 7TWO, 7mate and Olympic on 7 app. August 6-22
1. LET THE CARNIVAL BEGIN
For the colour and the anticipation of what lies in store for the next 16 days of competition, the Rio Olympic Games opening ceremony promises to be a carnival of epic proportions.
The arrival of the first-ever IOC refugee team, Anna Meares carrying the Australian flag and the mystique of who will light the cauldron will only add to this amazing spectacle.
Brazil’s football legend Pele never competed in the Olympics but is expected to be a prominent ambassador and is a leading is a candidate to light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony in Maracana stadium. He has been quoted as saying he’d treasure the opportunity to kick off the Games.
Opening Ceremony starts at 9am, Saturday 6 August
2. GOLDEN FOX
Jess Fox in the K1 slalom final. What an incredible sport to watch, a minute of mayhem and the Penrith-paddler is the gold medal favourite after snatching silver as an 18-year-old in London.
Day 7: Friday 12 August 1.30am-5am
3. MAGICAL MEARES
In the keirin event, Aussie cyclist and flag-bearer Anna Meares has her best shot at Rio gold and a sixth Olympic medal. Could be her final Olympics and in a career of great highs and horrible lows, watch in awe as Meares writes possibly, her final chapter.
Day 9: Sunday 14 August 5am-7.30am
4. STICK IT TO THEM
The Australian men’s hockey team battle with Germany will prove a true games highlight. The Germans are the defending champions and the Kookaburras have been the best team in the world since London. An enthralling battle awaits.
Day 14: men’s final Friday 19 August 6am
5. SLAM DUNK
Our Australian women basketball team have won five medals, including bronze in London, without ever winning gold while the Americans haven’t been beaten since 1992. Led by WNBA star Penny Taylor, this is the Opals best-ever shot at sinking the US.
Day 16: women’s final Sunday 21 August 4.30am
6. SHOCK AND OAR
Having finished second to Jana Pittman in the 400m hurdles at the Australian Championships before injury halted her promising athletics career, Kim Brennan (nee Crow) will show in Rio why she’s one of the world’s greatest athletes — in and out of the water by keeping her unbeaten single-skulls record since 2014 intact.
Day 8: women’s single scull final Saturday 13 August 11.20pm
7. SISTER ACT
The 100m freestyle is the blue-ribbon event of the pool and Queensland sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell could go one-two. Cate is the world record-holder and Bronte is the world champion. Sit back and watch this race, keeping an eye on the siblings nervous parents as they turn for home in the final lap.
Day 7: Friday 12 August 11am-1pm
8. LIGHTNING BOLT
Nothing rivals the showmanship of the men’s Olympic 100-metre final where the fastest man on earth, Usain Bolt, chases a third consecutive gold. The rivalry between he and the controversial Justin Gatlin, only adds to the world’s best sporting theatre.
Day 10: Monday 15 August 11.25am
9. THE GREATEST
US swimming legend Michael Phelps has already won a record 22 Olympic medals in the pool, including 18 gold. In Rio, he becomes the first male to attend five Olympics and is aiming to win the 100m butterfly and the 200m medley for the fourth time, which no swimmer has ever done. Remember where you were, if Phelps completes the feat.
Day 7: 200IM Friday 12 August 11am-1pm; Day 8 100m FLY Saturday 13 August
10. RIO’S CATHY MOMENT
Brazil’s obsession with football (soccer) is well-known.
The men’s football team have won five World Cups, but they have never won an Olympic gold medal. If they make the Olympic final, this will be the biggest single event for the Brazilians. Winning gold would be their Cathy Freeman moment.
Day 16: men’s final Sunday 21 August 6.30am
11. GIRL POWER
Australia’s women’s 4x100m relay team are on the opening night of the Olympics. And hopefully it shouldn’t take long to get the party started. Cate and Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Brittany Elmslie represent Australia’s safest gold medal.
Day 1: Sunday 7 August 11am-1pm
12. MAC ATTACK
Not since Michael Wenden at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games has an Australian won gold over the 100m-sprint trip. Hopefully that is about to change with Cameron McEvoy. McEvoy is the fastest man in the world and has shown no signs that he’ll falter under the pressure of being the gold medal favourite in Rio.
Day 6: Thursday 11 August 11am-1pm
13. SEVENS HEAVEN
Australia’s women’s team are planning a full-tilt at snatching an inaugural gold medal in the Rugby 7’s, which is on debut as a sport in Rio. The Aussie women are the 2016 Olympic favourites and are tipped to battle New Zealand for gold.
Day 4: women’s finals/medals Tuesday 9 August 12am-4.30am
14. JORDAN OF THE GYM
Simone Biles, 19, has been called the ‘Michael Jordan of gymnastics’. Why? Her comparison to the basketball icon is all thanks to her ability to escape gravity. Biles is already one of the most decorated American gymnasts of all time. She has won three world championships in a row.
Days 3-11: 8-16 August 5am-8am
15. LIFTING FOR A DREAM
Simplice Ribouem found refuge in Australia after the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Cameroon born weightlifter won Commonwealth Games gold in 2010. The fact that he has made his first Olympic team after three attempts is a fairytale within itself.
Day 8: Saturday 13 August from 11pm
16. SKY LARKIN
On the pool deck, Aussie Mitch Larkin looks like Clark Kent. In the water, he’s like Superman, having won almost everything else on offer over the past 12-months. FINA’s swimmer of the year races for gold in the 200m backstroke.
Day 7: Friday 12 August 11am-1pm
17. BRITISH BULLDOG
Mark Cavendish has won 30 stages of the Tour de France and is the undisputed fastest road sprinter in the world. Can the British superstar take that form to the track in search of the one thing missing from his palmares, an Olympic gold medal? Cavendish is riding the omnium which is a multi-event involving six races over two days. Aussie Glenn O’Shea will be hoping to spoil the party.
Days 10-11 Monday and Tuesday 15-16 August from 5am
18. BEACH PARTY
Make no mistake, Copacabana Beach will be party central of the games. Such is the host nation’s love-affair with beach volleyball they have erected a 15,000 seat stadium on the golden sands of Copa. Matches will be played under lights at midnight. Aussies Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden are our best hopes.
Days 3-16: women’s gold medal match Thursday 18 August 11am, men’s gold Friday 19 August 11am
19. CASTER CONTROVERSY
South Africa’s Caster Semenya is tipped to win the Olympic 800m by at least 20-metres and in doing so leave a conflicted world to wade through the moral minefield behind her. Semenya has been the subject of long discussion about her gender.
Day 15: Saturday 20 August 9am-11.45am
20. BOOMERS V DREAM TEAM
Patty Mills, Andrew Bogut and recently-crowned NBA title winner Matthew Delladova lead one of the best Australian men’s basketball teams at an Olympics. The challenge will of course be the US, who are chasing a third-straight gold medal.
Day 6: Thursday 11 August 8am
21. FOUUUUR
After a 112-year absence, golf returns to the Olympic Games minus the top male players in the world. Sadly for various reasons, namely zika virus, they’re unavailable. Our advice? Grab a quick look now because there’s every likelihood after Rio and the Tokyo Games that will be the last time golf will be called an ‘Olympic sport’. Fortunately for golf nuts all the best female golfers will be in Rio.
Day 9: men’s final round from 8pm, Sunday 14 August; Day 15: women’s final round from 8.30pm, Saturday 20 August
22. FLYING FABRICE
The withdrawal of Sally Pearson has dare we say it, catapulted, Aussie long-jumper Fabrice Lapierre into the hot seat for our athletic team. Lapierre won silver medals at last year’s world championships and this year’s world indoors.
Day 9: men’s long jump final, Sunday 14 August 9.50am
23. TAMING THE WALRUS
Aussie K2 paddlers Ken ‘Walrus’ Wallace and Avoca’s Lachlan Tame paired-up two years ago and have dominated the flat water sport ever since. They’ll medal, it just depends what colour.
Day 13: men’s K2 1000m final, Thursday 18 August 10pm
24. MIGHTY MO
Two-time Olympic champion, 10,000 metre runner Mo Farah continues to dominate the world of distance running. But be warned, he faces a controversial Kenyan army who are close to bringing down one of the greatest Olympians ever.
Day 9: 10,000 men’s final, Sunday 14 August, 10.25am
25. ROAD WARRIOR
A series of mishaps en-route to his impressive fifth in the Tour de France has Richie Porte fired up but also in the right form to snare a medal in an gruelling Olympic road race designed for climbers and strongmen just like the gritty Tasmanian.
Day 1: Saturday 6 August from 10.30pm
26. SBW
Sonny Bill Williams has dabbled in boxing, and starred in league and rugby, highlighted by his part in helping the All Blacks win two World Cups. But representing New Zealand in Rugby 7s represents a new challenge and yet another chance to solidify his status as one of the world’s great athletes.
Day 7: men’s finals/medals from 6.30am Friday 12 August
27. TFH — THE FLYING HYPHEN
Thomas Fraser-Holmes is a serious smoky to win the 200m freestyle. The former world No. 1 over 200m freestyle is in strong form heading into the games. Coached by Denis Cotterell, this could be Fraser-Holmes’ career-defining moment.
Day 4: Tuesday 9 August 11am-1pm
28. GOLD ON THE WATER
Sailor Mathew Belcher is the defending Olympic champion in the men’s 470 class, having won gold with former crew Malcolm Page at London 2012. In Rio, Belcher will pair up with Olympic debutant Will Ryan. Lock-in another medal, most likely gold for Australia.
Day 13: 470 class medal race, 2am Thursday 18 August
29. WALTZING MATILDAS
Australia’s first Olympic women’s football campaign in 12 years could also prove their most successful. The Matildas famously defeated Brazil 1-0 in the round of 16 of last year’s Women’s World Cup. They kick-off their Olympic tournament against Germany.
Day 2: Australia v Germany, 7am, Sunday 7 August
30. OARSOME FOURSOME
Australia’s men’s coxless fours will look to step up one place from their London 2012 silver. Joshua Dunkley-Smith, William Lockwood, Josh Booth and rookie Alexander Hill are poised to become household names.
Day 13: men’s fours from 12am Saturday 13 August
31. RARE TALLENT
It’s fair to say that the 50km men’s walk is not exactly ‘grab some popcorn’ TV. But watching Australia’s Jared Tallent will be. Having been robbed of his rightful gold in Beijing by a Russian drug cheat, this is the chance to see the potato farmer win fair and square.
Day 14: Friday 19 August 9pm
32. BMX BANDIT
Having competed since she was five after following her brother into the sport, Aussie BMX rider Caroline Buchanan heads to the Rio 2016 Games having made her debut in London four years ago, finishing fifth. She is currently the top ranked BMX rider in the world.
Day 15: BMX finals men’s & women’s 2.30am-4.45am Saturday 20 August
33. CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Both the men’s and women’s Australian water polo teams will be donning their speedos and caps in sunny Rio with the girls chasing a fourth Olympic medal while the men’s chase the first. Keep an eye out for former Test prop Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach’s son Aidan, in his second Olympic Games. The men face Brazil in their tournament opener while the Aussie women take on Russia.
Day 2: Australia v Brazil (men), 8.30am, Sunday 7 August; Day 4: Australia v Russia (women), 11pm, Tuesday 9 August
34. BREAKING BARRIERS
It doesn’t always take a medal to make history at the Olympics. Ibtihaj Muhammad will do just that in Rio as she will be the first U.S. athlete to compete in the Games in a hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women. The fencer has also been very vocal about state of Islam and Islamophobia in the U.S.
Fencing starts Day 1
35. KING DAVID
David Rudisha tore up the tactical script at the London Olympics to smash the world record in one of the greatest ever 800 metre runs. For Kenya’s “King David” to cement his Olympic legacy by becoming the first man to successfully defend his title since the 1964 Olympics, however, he will need shake off doubts about his form after a mediocre season.
Day 11: Tuesday 16 August 9.15am-2pm
36. ABOOD IN THE MOOD
The 50-metre freestyle is frenetic and it could just be Aussie swimmer Matt Abood’s moment.
The oldest Olympic swim team rookie could take home a medal which would make for a great story considering Abood has done most of his preparation in a low-key Canberra pool alongside a bunch of junior swimmers.
Day 8: Saturday 13 August 11am-12.30pm
37. PEDAL POWER
Sam Willoughby is dating the enemy but Australia’s top male BMX rider describes US star and fiancee Alise Post as his “rock” who helps keep his life on track. The pair will both race at the Rio Olympics next month, which will be their second Games after Willoughby won silver and Post made the semi-final in London in 2012.
Day 13: Thursday 18 August 2.30am
38. THE GRATEFUL EIGHT
Better late than never. Australia’s women’s eights were at a pub in Melbourne when they were told they were a last-minute call-up as replacements to Russia’s banned crew. You can be certain they aren’t about to waste an opportunity of a lifetime.
Day 4: Tuesday 9 August heats from 9.30pm
39. MEN’S TEAM PURSUIT
Is Great Britain’s dominance in track cycling’s blue riband event about to end? The Poms have owned the four man 4km race against the clock for the past two Olympics but a new look Australian team are the world champions and will be right in it in Rio.
Day 8: Saturday 13 August 5am-8am
40. BOXING KANGAROO
Shelley Watts was drawn to the sport of boxing after a serious ACL injury forced her off the football pitch. Watts made history when she claimed Australia’s first female boxing gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the lightweight division.
Day 13: 60kg semi-finals 3am-6am, Thursday 18 August
41. TRACK MAGIC
Entering the 2016 season, Australia’s Morgan Mitchell was one of a number of promising 400m runners but she stepped up and dominated the Australian domestic season with 12 unbeaten races. The 21-year-old won the Australian national titles in April and booked herself a place on the Australian Olympic team with a qualifying time of 51.84 seconds. A former Australian under 19 netball squad member who calls Cathy Freeman a mentor.
Day 9: Sunday 14 August, Heats from 12am
42. MARATHON LEGEND
Eliud Kipchoge is the most dominant marathoner in the world after a 10-year career on the track. Kipchoge has won six of his seven marathons, with his most recent 2:03:04 victory at the London Marathon. A gold medal may vault Kipchoge into the conversation of greatest marathoners of all time.
Day 16: Sunday 21 August starts 10.30pm
43. OUR OLDEST
Dressage rider Mary Hanna will become Australia’s oldest competing Olympian when she rides at the Rio Games. Hanna will be 61 years and 253 days when she opens her campaign on August 10 in Brazil, surpassing Bill Roycroft (equestrian) at Montreal in 1976 (61y 128d).
Day 5: Dressage starts Thursday 10 August from 11pm
44. OUR YOUNGEST
Aislin Jones will become Australia’s youngest shooting athlete to ever compete at an Olympic Games. Jones will be 16 years and 179 days when the Rio 2016 Games commence, seeing her surpass the previous youngest in Anne Marie Forder who was 18 years old when she competed in the 1996 Olympic Games.
Shooting is on from Days 1-9
45. TEAM GB
Great Britain’s Jessica Ennis-Hill is looking to become the first heptathlete to win back-to-back Olympic titles since the great Jackie Joyner-Kersee did so in 1988 and ‘92.
The heptathlon is run over Days 8-9
46. KATE’S FATE
US swimmer Katie Ledecky made waves in 2012 when she won the 800-meter freestyle at just 15 years old. And she’s only gotten better since. Arguably the most dominant swimmer in the pool right now, Ledecky is the first swimmer to ever sweep the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m frees in a major international competition. Ledecky will be chasing history — and world records — in Rio.
Day 3: Monday 8 August 400m free final 11am-1pm; Day 5: Wednesday 10 august 200m free final 11am-1pm; Day 8: Saturday 13 August 80m free final 11am-1pm
47. NO JOKE
Eight years ago in Beijing, then-21-year-old Novak Djokovic defeated American James Blake to win the bronze medal. In 2012, the Serb lost to Andy Murray in the London semi-final. Fast forward to 2016 and the world No. 1 is a dominant force on the ATP Tour aiming to finish on the top of the podium in Rio. Along with a French Open title, Djokovic has made it clear that winning gold is one of his top priorities this season.
Day 10: Monday 15 August 1am men’s final
48. 23-YEAR RECORD
The high jump world record of 2.45 meters has been held by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba since 1993. In recent years, Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim (2.43m) and Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko (2.42m) have come close but failed to dethrone Sotomayor.
Day 12: Wednesday 17 August 9.15am-11.50am
49. THUNDERSTRUCK
At the 2015 World Championships, where Australia qualified for the Games, the Australian synchronised swimming team pulled off a routine about red back spiders while at the London 2012 Games they performed to AC/DC. Over to you, Roy and H.G Nelson.
Synchronised swimming runs from Days 9-14
50. TCHAU RIO, KON’NICHIWA TOKYO
The closing ceremony will bring down the curtain on the Rio games with the baton passed to 2020 Olympics host nation, Tokyo.
Day 16: Monday 22 August 10am
Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Channel 7, 7TWO, 7mate and Olympic on 7 app. August 6-22
Originally published as The 50 must-see moments in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games — mark them in your diary today!
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